Principauté de Nouvel Aix
Nouvel Aix (English: New Aix), officially the Principauté de Nouvel Aix (Principality of New Aix), is a small landlocked country in northwestern Faeland, located along the mountain borders of Riocht Fíl and the Pentapolis. Originally an isolated Faelic settlement, it is currently a prosperous state mainly because of tourism and its status as a tax haven. The people of New Aix are predominantly of French descent and francophone. It has recently become the only European territory still utilizing a classic feudal system, as Sark is instituting reforms. By special dispensation, they have been admitted to the EU. =History= Tradition holds that Charles the Great (Charlemagne) granted his son, Louis I, the Pious, a charter to recruit Faels to fight the Basques in Aquitaine. To do so, a small fort was set up and overlordship of the territory passed to the a local chief-made-count in fealty to Louis. Eventually, disputes with the Pentapolis caused the bishop of Falx to intervene, and the hamlet was passed from Louis' successors to the the bishop. Some time later, the bishop handed over the territory to the direct control of the count. The Mariuex family inherited the title, and the town remained relatively obscure as the need for troop recruitment faded and drove the county into obscurity. During the Colonial Period, title passed to the governor of the French colonies on the island, who renamed it New Aix. When the French were expelled from Faeland, the city was forced to resign fealty from the French monarch. Though hotly contested, New Aix was still rather obscure and unimportant, and the French Revolution made the point moot. In the period following and during Napoleonic times, New Aix became a haven for minor nobles escaping the guillotine. This fact may contribute to the strong identity and traditionalism to be found later. After Faeland wrested itself free of British imperialism, the Principality was declared to avoid New Aix being incorporated into a larger neighboring state. A strict feudal system was put in place, based on the traditional county established during the 8th century. Given its relative isolation, New Aix has existed outside the mainstream of European and even Faeland's history, with few ties to other countries. In recent times, however, its thriving tourist industry along with developments in transportation and communications have removed the country from its isolation. Its political system was partially modernized in 1993, when the count issued a permanent edict guaranteeing human and civil rights to his "subjects." =Government= New Aix is considered the last feudal state in Europe. Formally, the Seigneur (Lord), the highest official in the territory, holds it as a fiefdom, re-enfeoffing some of the land outside the city to respective chevaliers ("knight"), of which there are precisely 23. The political consequences of this construction were abolished in recent years, so that the current knights will retain their lands and titles in perpetuity. Any deaths without an heir will find the Seigneur naming a new chevalier. These "knights," however, do not wield any inherent political authority and are the descendants of the original military body designed to protect medieval (New Aix's medieval name). The Seigneur appoints a Privy Council, and the city of New Aix itself is permitted its own legislative body and administration, subject to the Seigneur. It should be noted, however, that the 1993 edict limits the interference of the Seigneur in city affairs. =Parishes= =Geography= Due to its location in the northeastern ??? mountain range, New Aix consists predominantly of rugged mountains. These are dissected by three narrow valleys in a Y shape that combine into one as the main stream, the Rubra river, leaves the country for Riocht Fíl (at New Aix's lowest point of ___). Aix's surface area is 468 km². New Aix's climate is similar to that of its neighbors' temperate climates, but its higher altitude means there is, on average, more snow in winter and it is slightly cooler in summer. =Economy= Tourism, the mainstay of New Aix's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 90% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by its duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. The banking sector, with its tax haven status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited—only 14% of the land is arable—and most food has to be imported. Some specialty herbs are grown locally. The principal livestock activity is domestic sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of stamps and other paper products. New Aix's natural resources include hydroelectric power, mineral water, timber, and limited amounts of iron ore. =Religion= The majority of the population of New Aix is nominally Roman Catholic, though modernism gives the strength of religion a level somewhat like that of France. =Culture= Although French is the official language, there has always been a large stratum of people who speak Occitan, due to the historic link to Aquitania (it is a popular destination for many natives of the region of France).